The invention relates generally to debris-collecting systems and bagging apparatus for debris-collecting systems. Debris-collecting systems, such as leaf vacuums, typically have an input portion through which debris may enter, a bagging apparatus (typically a bag constructed of polyester non-woven felt or woven nylon), and a rotating member or other device for creating a current of air toward the bagging apparatus. When a current of air is created, the debris is moved by the current of air from the input portion to the bagging apparatus. Importantly, the bagging apparatus must allow air to pass; otherwise, the current of air will stop moving to the bagging apparatus with sufficient force to transport the debris from the input portion to the bagging apparatus. This raises contradictory priorities that must be addressed in the design of the bagging apparatus, as a porous bag is often needed for airflow considerations, but may also allow debris to pass through (thus impeding the entire point of using the debris-collecting system).
Moreover, even when a debris-collecting system is designed such that the bagging apparatus is sufficiently porous yet still—at least initially—collects an acceptable amount of debris, the debris often obstructs (or “clogs”) the bag pores. As a result, to maintain the necessary airflow to draw a desired amount of debris through the input portion, the bag must be emptied or exchanged well before the bag is full in traditional debris-collecting systems.